Kyrie Irving Considered Knicks Before Announcing Intention To Re-Sign With Celtics

Post #1 » by **RealGM Wiretap** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 10:21 pm

Kyrie Irving said he strongly considered the New York Knicks as a potential free agent destination before he announced his intention to re-sign with the Boston Celtics.

"I mean, every team was under consideration, but obviously New York held a special place for me," Irving said after the Celtics' 103-101 win over the Knicks on Saturday night. "Just being from (New) Jersey and, obviously, envisioning myself as a free agent and ultimately taking a meeting and playing for (Knicks head coach David Fizdale) and a great young core that they have here. Thinking about playing with (Kristaps Porzingis). That was a big thing before I made my decision just to ... plan on re-signing back with Boston. But yeah of course New York was a strong consideration."

Irving has a player option for 2019-20, the final season of his five-year, $94 million contract. Irving is expected to re-sign with the Celtics in 2019.

"I think if you were in my position, I think it would be an easy decision," Irving said of his decision to commit to the Celtics. "Thinking about who we have (in Boston) and the future and what we're set up for. For me, it was where I am in age and how I envision my career going. And kind of the lineage of guys that have come before me in the Boston Celtics is something I wanted to be a part of. Obviously, my dad and my mom met in Boston, so I had a lot of history there, as well. Obviously, being from New Jersey, (there's) history there. But Boston, there's nothing like it."

Via Ian Begley/ESPN

itsme23 · Post #2 » by **itsme23** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 10:36 pm

Please sign him to a super max celtics.

cavs4872 · Post #3 » by **cavs4872** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 10:46 pm

What is this guy after? Cause it clearly isn't championships, after escorting himself out of Cleveland and considering leaving the C's for a dumpster fire.

Ugh, just imagine if he stomached one more season with the Cavs; we probably still would've been a top 4 team in the East now, and he didn't even have to play last season.

I respect his transparency though, unlike the circus show LBJ put on at his age.

OdomFan · Post #4 » by **OdomFan** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 11:34 pm

and all the credit would have gone to Lebron. aka The Greatest EVER! No wonder he wanted to get out of Cleveland. I respect that he wants to see things through in Boston but I'd still have rather he gone to the Knicks or Bucks. Oh well.

Maybe next time around.

haste10176 · Post #5 » by **haste10176** » Mon Oct 22, 2018 12:18 am

cavs4872 wrote:What is this guy after? Cause it clearly isn't championships, after escorting himself out of Cleveland and considering leaving the C's for a dumpster fire.

Ugh, just imagine if he stomached one more season with the Cavs; we probably still would've been a top 4 team in the East now, and he didn't even have to play last season.

I respect his transparency though, unlike the circus show LBJ put on at his age.

The earth is flat... He was the opposite of transparent in any interview on this come on... Also if I was him I would be worried celtics may not offer me the max..

GuessWhoNot · Post #6 » by **GuessWhoNot** » Mon Oct 22, 2018 12:45 am

cavs4872 wrote:What is this guy after? Cause it clearly isn't championships, after escorting himself out of Cleveland and considering leaving the C's for a dumpster fire.

Ugh, just imagine if he stomached one more season with the Cavs; we probably still would've been a top 4 team in the East now, and he didn't even have to play last season.

I respect his transparency though, unlike the circus show LBJ put on at his age.

So what are you saying? He would have had been a better chance of winning by leaving the Celtics? Um, I don't think so. Especially not in New York. And I'm a Knicks fan.

MegaK · Post #7 » by **MegaK** » Mon Oct 22, 2018 2:40 am

They trading him for Deangelo Russell and Dinwiddie...

cavs4872 · Post #8 » by **cavs4872** » Mon Oct 22, 2018 2:52 am

GuessWhoNot wrote:
cavs4872 wrote:What is this guy after? Cause it clearly isn't championships, after escorting himself out of Cleveland and considering leaving the C's for a dumpster fire.

Ugh, just imagine if he stomached one more season with the Cavs; we probably still would've been a top 4 team in the East now, and he didn't even have to play last season.

I respect his transparency though, unlike the circus show LBJ put on at his age.

So what are you saying? He would have had been a better chance of winning by leaving the Celtics? Um, I don't think so. Especially not in New York. And I'm a Knicks fan.

No, I'm saying that if he cares about winning he never would've considered leaving the Celtics for the Knicks (of all teams).

nedleeds · Post #9 » by **nedleeds** » Mon Oct 22, 2018 2:53 am

Thank you Kyrie, your cracked knee cap, screws and massive amount of cartilage loss can stay in Boston for the max. We weren't winning **** with you or without you. Tank on.

cavs4872 · Post #10 » by **cavs4872** » Mon Oct 22, 2018 2:56 am

haste10176 wrote:
cavs4872 wrote:What is this guy after? Cause it clearly isn't championships, after escorting himself out of Cleveland and considering leaving the C's for a dumpster fire.

Ugh, just imagine if he stomached one more season with the Cavs; we probably still would've been a top 4 team in the East now, and he didn't even have to play last season.

I respect his transparency though, unlike the circus show LBJ put on at his age.

The earth is flat... He was the opposite of transparent in any interview on this come on... Also if I was him I would be worried celtics may not offer me the max..

No one was talking about the flat earth thing, and rarely any players are this transparent, stating what their intentions are well before the offseason.

Hoopstarr · Post #11 » by **Hoopstarr** » Mon Oct 22, 2018 3:14 am

OdomFan wrote:and all the credit would have gone to Lebron. aka The Greatest EVER! No wonder he wanted to get out of Cleveland. I respect that he wants to see things through in Boston but I'd still have rather he gone to the Knicks or Bucks. Oh well.

Maybe next time around.

If Boston wins the credit will go to Stevens first, then Tatum, then Horford, then Kyrie.

RCM88x · Post #12 » by **RCM88x** » Mon Oct 22, 2018 3:41 am

He's talked way to much about this issue a whole year in advance for this to actually go as he's saying. Or... he'll screw himself over and make himself look bad when the C's low ball him and force him to sign for less than the max. Just ruining you're leverage bro, ain't a good idea, especially with Ainge at the helm. Gonna regret it.

TimRobbins · Post #13 » by **TimRobbins** » Mon Oct 22, 2018 4:09 am

I will be laughing pretty hard when Ainge offers him $40M/4 with a team option in the 4th season. This guy is truly a complete idiot. Ainge will NOT re-sign Kyrie unless it's for ridiculously low money.

TimRobbins · Post #14 » by **TimRobbins** » Mon Oct 22, 2018 4:10 am

RCM88x wrote:He's talked way to much about this issue a whole year in advance for this to actually go as he's saying. Or... he'll screw himself over and make himself look bad when the C's low ball him and force him to sign for less than the max. Just ruining you're leverage bro, ain't a good idea, especially with Ainge at the helm. Gonna regret it.

eureca20 · Post #15 » by **eureca20** » Mon Oct 22, 2018 4:20 am

It makes sense for Kyrie to stay. I definitely can see a scenario where he re-signs and they then trade him though. If a Superstar becomes available I think Tatum is untouchable. Jaylen Brown isn't going to get it done for a superstar.

It makes sense for Kyrie to want to stay with all that talent. Kyrie locked up for 4 to 5 years not being able to leave becomes a very good contract to acquire if you are losing an Anthony Davis and you still want to sell tickets like WOJ said the Pelican ownership does.

Black Jack · Post #16 » by **Black Jack** » Mon Oct 22, 2018 5:36 am

I love this statement. It's like saying:

"After consideration, I won't be leaving my wife for that hot young thing I met 2 weeks ago. I mean, she's really sexy and all but since the wife and I have similar life path convergence involving kids and mortgages I am choosing not to pursue a divorce. At this time."

ReturnofMVP3 · Post #17 » by **ReturnofMVP3** » Mon Oct 22, 2018 6:32 am

Black Jack wrote:I love this statement. It's like saying:

"After consideration, I won't be leaving my wife for that hot young thing I met 2 weeks ago. I mean, she's really sexy and all but since the wife and I have similar life path convergence involving kids and mortgages I am choosing not to pursue a divorce. At this time."

Your spouse is someone you’re typically planning to be with for life. Playing for an NBA team is like a job.. people switch jobs all the times. Also your boss typically cant just send you to a competitor to work in a trade. Great analogy skip.

eureca20 · Post #18 » by **eureca20** » Mon Oct 22, 2018 7:52 am

ReturnofMVP3 wrote:
Black Jack wrote:I love this statement. It's like saying:

"After consideration, I won't be leaving my wife for that hot young thing I met 2 weeks ago. I mean, she's really sexy and all but since the wife and I have similar life path convergence involving kids and mortgages I am choosing not to pursue a divorce. At this time."

Your spouse is someone you’re typically planning to be with for life. Playing for an NBA team is like a job.. people switch jobs all the times. Also your boss typically cant just send you to a competitor to work in a trade. Great analogy skip.

I think most players plan to to stay with their team for their whole career when things are good. Then they see the grass is greener somewhere else. Yes people go into a marriage hoping it works, but half of them end in divorce.

And being a NBA player is not like a job. It is a job with a salary/union. Great analogy.

Black Jack · Post #19 » by **Black Jack** » Mon Oct 22, 2018 8:45 am

ReturnofMVP3 wrote:
Black Jack wrote:I love this statement. It's like saying:

"After consideration, I won't be leaving my wife for that hot young thing I met 2 weeks ago. I mean, she's really sexy and all but since the wife and I have similar life path convergence involving kids and mortgages I am choosing not to pursue a divorce. At this time."

Your spouse is someone you’re typically planning to be with for life. Playing for an NBA team is like a job.. people switch jobs all the times. Also your boss typically cant just send you to a competitor to work in a trade. Great analogy skip.

Just gonna point out that my comment wasn't about drawing an exact analogy from marriage to NBA player/team relationship, but instead was just about the lukewarm sentiment. Based on the article quote you can tell Kyrie would be excited to be a Knick in the Garden tossing lobs to KP but KP has a bad wheel and NYK still have an idiot owner so the smart move is to stay in Boston.

Yosemite Dan · Post #20 » by **Yosemite Dan** » Mon Oct 22, 2018 1:35 pm

Somebody needs to tell this guy that, unless Ainge has a complete brain fart, that the Celtics won’t be offering anywhere near the max for him. I would be surprised if he’s still a Celtic by the trade deadline. His best days are behind him and with those knees is a complete pylon on defense.